Systems and Methods for Assisting Users with Contact, Access, and Distribution Lists

ABSTRACT

A computer server system provides an online community for customers of a business entity. A first level feedback module provides visual feedback to each user in a user interface for the online community, which quantifies each user&#39;s interaction with the community. A notification module sends an electronic message to a user when the user&#39;s interaction is below a predefined threshold rate. A second level feedback module calculates second level metrics that quantify other users&#39; evaluations of postings to the online community by a first user. Visual feedback of the second level metrics is provided. A third level feedback module awards a designated achievement badge to users whose interaction metrics exceed predefined threshold values, and displays the achievement badge in the user interface. The system promotes a high level of user participation in the online community and thereby contributes to a low cost of technical support provided by the business entity.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The disclosed implementations relate generally to online social communities, and more specifically to increasing user participation in those communities using techniques of gamification.

BACKGROUND

An online community is a website designed for users to interact with each other, usually with some common theme. Unlike a traditional website, in which the website owner controls all of the content, an online community enables and encourages users to participate in the content. Users post comments, replies to comments, questions, and answers to other users' questions; more experienced users develop articles and knowledge bases, and lead forum discussions or blogs.

Business entities now recognize the value of having an online community for the business. In this case, the community focus is on the products or services of the business, and users participate in the community just like any other online community. While online communities can be beneficial for marketing, online communities are not just a marketing gimmick. For example, real users post real questions, and the questions are frequently answered by other users in the community. Typically the users are customers (or prospective customers) of the business entity.

Online communities for business entities produce a positive return on investment in several ways. First, because some users are obtaining answers to their questions from the online community, it reduces the cost for technical support provided by the business entity. In addition, the online discussions and comments become part of the web, and are indexed by search engines, so a good online community is one effective tool to achieve search engine optimization (SEO).

The usefulness of an online community, however, depends on the active involvement of the users. Sometimes a user may visit the website for the online community one time, and not return. Other users may access the website only when there is an immediate pressing question. Therefore, there is a need to promote greater user participation in the online communities provided by business entities.

SUMMARY

Disclosed implementations of the present invention address the problems of user participation in online social communities by providing appropriate positive feedback using techniques of gamification. When users receive positive feedback about their involvement with the community, in encourages them to participate even more. New visitors receive enough feedback to encourage then to return to the community; intermediate users receive recognition for their assistance to others; and some users reach the level where they receive special recognition of their significant contributions to the community. Importantly, disclosed implementations utilize a continuum of feedback mechanisms, where appropriate mechanisms are highlighted in accordance with each user's proficiency and ability

According to some implementations, a computer server system provides an online community for customers, and prospective customers, of a business entity. Each of the servers has one or more processors and memory, and the memory stores one or more programs. The system includes a first level feedback module configured to provide visual feedback to each user in a user interface for the online community. The visual feedback quantifies the respective user's interaction with the online community according to one or more first level metrics. The system includes a notification module configured to send an electronic message to a respective user when the user's interaction with the online community is below a predefined threshold rate. The electronic message is sent over a communication channel distinct from the online community. The system includes a second level feedback module configured to calculate a plurality of second level metrics. Each second level metric quantifies other users' evaluations of postings to the online community by a first user. The second level feedback module is configured to provide visual feedback of the second level metrics to the first user in the user interface for the online community. The system includes a third level feedback module configured to award a designated achievement badge to users whose first and second level metrics exceed a predefined set of threshold values. The achievement badge is displayed in the user interface for the online community. The three feedback modules and the notification module promote a high level of user participation in the online community and thereby contribute to a low cost of technical support provided by the business entity.

In some implementations, as users receive higher level feedback, the lower level feedback mechanisms are de-emphasized or removed from the user interface entirely. For example, when a user has received badges or awards for contributions to an online community, simple feedback of “points” or a leader board are typically not needed. The user is receiving an intrinsic reward for her community contributions, and does not need an extrinsic point system “reward.” In this way, the feedback mechanisms are used when needed, but withdrawn as appropriate to reduce over-reliance on unsustainable extrinsic rewards.

In some implementations, the computer server system further includes a reputation module configured to communicate achievement badges with online social media other than the online community and verify the authenticity of those badges, thereby making a user's reputation within the online community portable to the other online social media.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates the context in which some implementations of the present invention operate.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an analytic server in accordance with some implementations.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a user computing device in accordance with some implementations.

FIG. 4 provides a feedback spectrum, illustrating the various characteristics of feedback techniques in accordance with some implementations.

FIGS. 5A and 5B are functional block diagrams illustrating feedback processes implemented in an online community in accordance with some implementations.

Like reference numerals refer to corresponding parts throughout the drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF IMPLEMENTATIONS

FIG. 1 illustrates the context in which implementations of the present invention operate. A business entity 120 provides products or services. To support the business, the business entity 120 maintains a website 122, operated by one or more website servers 300. The business website 122 typically includes marketing web pages 128 as well as a sales interface 126 to enable users 100 to purchase the products or services provided by the business entity 120. In some implementations, the website 122 includes access to online technical support 124, which may provide immediate support (e.g., online chat with a technical support specialist), access to an automated process flow for answering questions, access to a knowledge base, or a forum to post questions. In some implementations, the online technical support 124 is integrated with the online community 130. Many business entities also provide phone technical support 150, where users or customers speak directly to a technical support person.

As described in more detail below, some business websites 122 include an online community 130, which is a joint collaboration between the business entity 120 and the users 100. An online community typically includes topic forums where users post and ask questions, a knowledge base providing detailed solutions to various problems or issues, discussion boards on topics related to the products or services of the business 120, articles provided by individual users recognized as experts in the community, recommendations from users (e.g., recommendations for products to use as well as products to not use for specific circumstances), and so on. An online community can be an effective way to get answers to immediate questions (e.g., “what skin care product should I use to resolve a specific condition?”) as well as discuss topics of general interest related to the business (e.g., “I like the high-end laptop computers provided by the company because . . . ”).

Although the online community 130 is depicted in FIG. 1 as part of a single website 122, one of skill in the art recognizes that the website 122 may be implemented by a plurality of distinct website servers 300, and different portions of the website 122 may be hosted at different physical locations. For example, a business entity may manage the main content of its website (e.g., sales 126 and marketing 128), but may outsource the online community 130 to a third party provider.

Users 100 access the business website 122 using various computers or computing devices 102. A computing device 102 can be a desktop computer, laptop computer, tablet computer, PDA, Smartphone, or any other electronic device that includes a web browser 104 and a communication interface 204 to connect to other computers over a communication network 106, such as the Internet.

One way to find resources on the Internet or other communication network is to use a search engine 140. A search engine 140 continuously (or at least frequently) crawls the web to indentify and index the available information. In particular, search engines identify the information on the business website 122, including the information associated with the online community 130. For example, if a user 100 posts a question on a forum in the online community 130, and another user posts an answer to the question, the search engine indexes those postings, which makes it easier for other users 100 to find that information. For example, when a user 100 is searching for an answer to a question (e.g., “what type of wood should I use to build a small deck in my back yard?”), the search engine may identify a discussion about that topic on a community forum, and provide the user with a link to that forum.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, a user 100 can connect to phone technical support 150 using a telephone 108. Some users 100 have telephones 108 that are Smartphones with a user interface 110, although desktop phones and other hard wired telephones 108 would work as well. Although telephone 108 and user computer 102 are illustrated as two separate devices in FIG. 1, it is well known that the phone functionality and computing functionality may be combined in a single electronic device (e.g., Smartphone).

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a user device 102, according to some implementations. The user computing device 102 can be a desktop computer, laptop computer, a Smart Phone, or other mobile device that can connect to other computing devices over a communication network 106. The user device 102 typically includes one or more processing units (CPU's) 202, one or more network or other communications interfaces 204, memory 214, and one or more communication buses 212 for interconnecting these components. The communication buses 212 may include circuitry (sometimes called a chipset) that interconnects and controls communications between system components. The user computing device 102 also includes a user interface 206 comprising a display device 208 and input devices 210 (e.g., keyboard, mouse, touch screen, keypads, etc.). The memory 514 includes high-speed random access memory, such as DRAM, SRAM, DDR RAM or other random access solid state memory devices; and may include non-volatile memory, such as one or more magnetic disk storage devices, optical disk storage devices, flash memory devices, or other non-volatile solid state storage devices. The memory 214 may optionally include one or more storage devices remotely located from the CPU(s) 202. The memory 214, or alternately the non-volatile memory device(s) within the memory 214, comprises a computer readable storage medium. In some implementations, the memory 214 stores the following programs, modules and data structures, or a subset thereof:

-   -   an operating system 216 that includes procedures for handling         various basic system services and for performing hardware         dependent tasks;     -   a communication module 218 that is used for connecting the user         computing device 102 to other computer systems via the one or         more communication interfaces 204 (wired or wireless) and one or         more communication networks 106, such as the Internet, other         wide area networks, local area networks, metropolitan area         networks, and so on;     -   a user interface module 220 that receives commands from the user         via the input devices 210 and generates user interface objects         in the display device 208;     -   a web browser 104 that enables a user to access to access         resources, web pages, and web applications over a communication         network;     -   an online community interface 222, providing access to the         online community 130 at the business website 122. In some         implementations, online community interface 222 executes within         the web browser 104; other implementations provide a community         application that executes on the user device 102 outside of the         web browser 104; and     -   client data 224, such as cookies or other data saved locally and         used by the online community interface 222.

Each of the above identified elements may be stored in one or more of the previously mentioned memory devices, and corresponds to a set of instructions for performing a function described above. The set of instructions can be executed by one or more processors (e.g., the CPUs 202). The above identified modules or programs (i.e., sets of instructions) need not be implemented as separate software programs, procedures or modules, and thus various subsets of these modules may be combined or otherwise re-arranged in various implementations. In some implementations, the memory 214 may store a subset of the modules and data structures identified above. Furthermore, the memory 214 may store additional modules and data structures not described above.

Although FIG. 2 shows a user computing device 102, FIG. 2 is intended more as a functional description of the various features which may be present in a user device than as a structural schematic of the implementations described herein. In practice, and as recognized by those of ordinary skill in the art, items shown separately could be combined and some items could be separated.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a website server 300, according to some implementations. A website server 300 typically includes one or more processing units (CPU's) 302, one or more network or other communications interfaces 304, memory 314, and one or more communication buses 312 for interconnecting these components. The communication buses 312 may include circuitry (sometimes called a chipset) that interconnects and controls communications between system components. The website server 300 optionally includes a user interface 306 comprising a display device 308 and input devices 310 (e.g., keyboard, mouse, touch screen, keypads, etc.). The memory 314 includes high-speed random access memory, such as DRAM, SRAM, DDR RAM or other random access solid state memory devices; and may include non-volatile memory, such as one or more magnetic disk storage devices, optical disk storage devices, flash memory devices, or other non-volatile solid state storage devices. The memory 314 optionally includes one or more storage devices remotely located from the CPU(s) 302. The memory 314, or alternately the non-volatile memory device(s) within the memory 314, comprises a computer readable storage medium. In some implementations, the memory 314 stores the following programs, modules, and data structures, or a subset thereof:

-   -   an operating system 316, which includes procedures for handling         various basic system services and for performing hardware         dependent tasks;     -   a communication module 318, which is used for connecting the         website server 300 to other computers via the one or more         communication interfaces 304 (wired or wireless) and one or more         communication networks 106, such as the Internet, other wide         area networks, local area networks, metropolitan area networks,         and so on;     -   an optional user interface module 320, which receives commands         from the user via the input devices 310 and generates user         interface objects in the display device 308;     -   a web server module 322, which receives resource requests (e.g.,         HTTP requests) and returns web pages or other resources to the         requestor. The web server module may run Apache Tomcat,         Microsoft® Internet Information Server, or other similar         software;     -   an online technical support module 324, which provides a user         interface for users ask questions and respond to those         questions. In some implementations, the technical support module         324 is fully automated, but in other implementations, the         technical support module includes support personnel, who may         communicate with users through online chat, email, etc. to         answer questions. The technical support module 324 provides the         functionality for the online technical support 124 for the         website 122;     -   a community analytic module 326, which computes various metrics         to quantify users' interactions with the online community 130,         and to provide various feedback to encourage greater         participation by users. Included in the community analytic         module 326 is a first level feedback module 328, which computes         metrics that quantify a user's direct involvement with the         community. For example, the metrics may include number of         postings, number of postings on distinct topics, number of         questions asked, number of responses to other users' questions,         and so on. The first level metrics are displayed for each user         in the user interface so that each user has quantified feedback.         In some implementations, the feedback for the first level         metrics includes a ranking or comparison with other users.         Generally, such feedback is provided for a relevant subset of         the users. For example, a comparison of website activity for         “newbies.” (If would not be particularly useful or helpful to         compare the activity of newbies to the activity of users who         have been contributing to the community for a long time.) The         community analytic module 326 also includes a second level         feedback module 330, which includes a set of second level         metrics that quantify a user's interactions with the community         based on the evaluations of other users. For example, the second         level metrics identify the number of postings by each user that         have received kudos from others, the number of postings that         have been designated as accepted solutions, the number of         postings that have been nominated for incorporation in a         knowledge base (sometimes called a “tribal knowledge base” or         “TKB”), the number of knowledge base articles written by each         user, and so on. The analytic module 326 provides feedback to         each user about the second level metrics in the user interface         for the online community 130. The community analytic module 326         also includes a third level feedback module 332, which defines         certain awards based on various combinations of the first and         second level metrics. For example, an award may be defined that         includes all users who have been received 50 kudos for their         postings, had 20 responses nominated for knowledge base         articles, and have been active in the community for at least a         year. Implementations generally support award definitions that         are configurable and enable multiple such awards, each with its         own definition. In general, multiple people can receive a         specified award, as long as each user meets the criteria. Some         awards specifically include a limit on the recipients, such as         the first person this year to meet certain criteria, or the         first N people to meet the criteria, where N is a positive         integer. The awards are sometimes referred to as badges or         meta-badges depending on the criteria required to receive the         award. The Community analytic module 326 displays the awards in         the user interface, either privately (only the user sees her own         awards), publicly (everyone can see the awards), or         semi-privately (only a relevant limited set of people sees each         award);     -   a notification module 334, which notifies users 100 of specific         events or conditions. In some implementations, the notification         module alerts people of upcoming events that might be of         interest. In some implementations, the first level feedback         module 328 uses the notification module to notify a user when         his involvement with the community 130 falls below a threshold         rate. For example, if a user 100 has visited the community only         one time in the current week (or current month, etc.), the         notification module 334 may alert the user 100 of relevant items         of interest, such as new knowledge base articles, new postings         relevant to user's prior expressed interests, etc. The first and         second level feedback modules 330 and 332 may also use the         notification module to let the user 100 know that she is close         to achieving a certain threshold level (e.g., 10 postings for         the month).     -   a reputation module 336, which tracks the recognition each user         has received from the community 130 (e.g., badges), and provide         that recognition to other social media outside of the community.         This can be particularly useful to a user 100 who has been very         active in the community, and would like the earned reputation to         carry over to other social media. The reputation module 336 both         provides the reputation data, as well as a means to verify or         authenticate the reputation. For example, a user 100 may be         uniquely identified within a community by an email address, and         the reputation module can verify that the user 100 with a         certain email address has specific achievements within the         community. Conversely, the reputation module 336 can utilize         earned reputation from external social media, and incorporate it         into the profile information, ranking, etc. for the user in the         present online community 130.     -   A database 338, which stores data for the website 122. The         database 338 may include relational database(s), non-relational         database(s), file server(s), and/or other storage means such as         cloud storage;     -   the database 338 stores product and services data 340 for the         business entity 120. This includes descriptions of products,         pricing, availability, store locations, and so on;     -   the database 338 stores sales data 342 for the business entity         120, including web pages that provide an online store for the         products and services of the business entity 120, as well as         orders for products and services placed by users 100;     -   the database 338 stores marketing data 344, which provides         details about products and services, special sales events, and         so on. In some implementations, the marketing data is combined         with the product and services data 340 and/or the sales data         342;     -   the database 338 stores user information 346 for each user 100,         including a user ID (e.g., an email address) and password,         certain profile information (which may be optional), and a set         of user preferences. The user preferences 346 may specify user         interface features, what topics are of interest to the user,         what notifications are allowed (e.g., notifications of upcoming         events), and so on;     -   the database 338 stores community forum and discussion board         data 348, including both the web pages used to implement forums         and discussion boards, as well as the comments, questions, and         answers provided by the users 100. The forum data 348 also         includes metadata, such as the author of each posting, the time         of the posting, what posting it is responding to (if any), and         topic associated with the posting (supplied by the user or         inferred from the posting by natural language processing or         subsequent human categorization), links to subsequent responses,         and so on;     -   the database 338 stores community metric data 350, which         includes all of the metric data tracked or computed by the         first, second, and third level feedback modules 328, 330, and         332. Like the community forum and discussion board data 348, the         community metric data 350 includes metadata that specifies when         it was computed, how it was computed (when appropriate), and so         on;     -   the database 338 stores community ranking/badges/awards 352,         both current and historical. Some items are temporal in nature         (such as ranking), so some implementations store history of the         rankings, making it is possible to look at what the rankings         were at any point in the past. Typically, once badges are earned         or awarded, they are not rescinded (unless due to error), so         historical data is limited. On the other hand, awards may occur         periodically (e.g., annually). For example, a “most valuable         contributor” award may be given annually, so the database 338         tracks who was the most valuable contributor for each year;     -   the database 338 stores one or more knowledge bases 354, which         contain information or articles on specific designated topics.         For a small business entity 120, there is typically a single         knowledge base, which can be searched by topic or keywords. For         larger business entities 120, there be two or more knowledge         bases 354, typically for different business units; and     -   the database 338 also stores data, information, web pages, and         configuration parameters for many other aspects of the website         122.

Each of the above identified elements may be stored in one or more of the previously mentioned memory devices, and corresponds to a set of instructions for performing a function described above. The set of instructions can be executed by one or more processors (e.g., the CPUs 302). The above identified modules or programs (i.e., sets of instructions) need not be implemented as separate software programs, procedures or modules, and thus various subsets of these modules may be combined or otherwise re-arranged in various implementations. In some implementations, the memory 314 stores a subset of the modules and data structures identified above. Furthermore, the memory 314 may store additional modules and data structures not described above.

Although FIG. 3 shows a website server 300, FIG. 3 is intended more as a functional description of the various features that may be present in a set of servers than as a structural schematic of the implementations described herein. In practice, and as recognized by those of ordinary skill in the art, items shown separately could be combined and some items could be separated. For example, the database 338 and corresponding data in FIG. 4 could be implemented on a set of database servers separate from the other modules, or the web server module could be implemented on a separate set of designated web servers. The actual number of website servers 300 used and how features are allocated among them will vary from one implementation to another, and may depend in part on the amount of data traffic that the system must handle during peak usage periods as well as during average usage periods.

Each of the methods described herein may be implemented by instructions that are stored in a computer readable storage medium and that are executed by one or more processors of the website servers 300 or user computing devices 102. Each of the functional operations shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, or in the figures below may correspond to instructions stored in a computer memory or computer readable storage medium.

FIG. 4 illustrates a spectrum of feedback techniques that are applicable to keeping users engaged in an online community 130. Some feedback techniques are useful and effective to get new visitors engaged with the community (the left side of FIG. 4), and as a user 100 becomes more involved, other feedback techniques play a more important role (the right side of FIG. 4). Combining both the short term techniques and the long term techniques is an effective way to maintain a healthy, resilient community 130. As users become more involved with the community, the longer term feedback mechanisms are emphasized, and the shorter term feedback mechanisms are de-emphasized or eliminated entirely. Using this holistic approach rather than isolated feedback mechanisms provides an overall scalable architecture that is sustainable.

In some implementations, a user has some control of the feedback mechanisms as well, using user preferences 346. For example, some users may wish to turn off display of a point tally or a leader board, even before receiving any metabadges or awards. On the other hand, some users may prefer to continue receiving the simple feedback even after substantial involvement with the community.

On the left in FIG. 4 are seven characteristics for evaluating the various feedback techniques. At the top is the time scale of reinforcement 414. Some of the feedback techniques are effective for immediate feedback (e.g., does a visitor stay at the website 122 right now, or navigate to one of the millions of other websites on the Internet; does the visitor return to the website 122 during the week after the initial visit; etc.). Other feedback techniques keep long time user engaged in the community.

The second characteristic is the visibility 416 of the feedback. This ranges from visible only to an individual user 100 to being visible to everyone in the community or even beyond the community. The third characteristic in FIG. 4 is the type of behavior 418, ranging from individual actions (e.g., posting a single question to a forum) to many interrelated actions. The user actions are also measured using various metric types 420. Some simple metrics are just cumulative (e.g., number of postings my a user 100), but over time a more important metric is the frequency of postings, frequency of postings on related topics, or other more complex metrics.

The feedback techniques have some susceptibility to “gaming” 422, such as a user making bogus or duplicate postings that are counted as involvement with the website. Other feedback techniques are less susceptible to gaming, typically because the feedback metrics require the involvement of other users. For example, other users are not going to give kudos to bogus or duplicate postings. Another important characteristic of feedback metrics is the value to the user 424. The term “value” here is used in a social sense, not money. Some feedback has little intrinsic value, but the long-term feedback techniques recognize a person's valuable contributions to a community. Finally, some feedback techniques are more sustainable 426 than others. For example, just quantifying a person's postings has little value when a person posts for the 200th time. On the other hand, when a person receives public recognition for valuable contributions to a community, the recognition is frequently sufficiently value to sustain interest.

One simple feedback technique is a “point” system 402 or other metric that quantifies direct involvement by a user 100 in an online community 130. In some implementations, there is a single point system, but different numbers of points are added to a user's cumulative total based on the type of interaction. For example, posting a question or comment may be worth a single point, whereas posting an answer to another person's question might be worth 2 points. Some implementations also assign additional points when a posting receives kudos or other recognition from other users. For the time scale characteristic 414, a simple point simple has immediate, short term feedback 428. The points for involvement are typically shown only to the individual user 100, so the visibility is private 434. Typically, a point system 402 is based on single actions 440, such as making a posting, and the points accumulate 446. This sort of immediate and direct feedback helps to jump start a user's involvement in the community because the user is being “rewarded” for the behavior. Of course, receive points 402 is an extrinsic reward with little or no intrinsic value 460. Furthermore, accumulating points based on individual actions can be achieved by gaming 454 the system. For example, even nonsensical questions, comments, or alleged “answers” would count as postings and receive points. Finally, a point system by itself does not sustain 466 long term interest in the online community 130. For example, after obtaining hundreds (or thousands) of points, there is little incentive to earn more points.

Further along the feedback spectrum are simple badges 404. A simple badge is recognition for achieving a certain threshold value of points or involvement for a single metric. For example, a badge may be awarded when a user posts a message (question, answer, comment, etc.) to the online community 130 for the 20th time. Badges can also issued for achieving a certain quantity metric within a specified period of time, such as ten postings within a week. In some implementations, simple badges can be awarded in stages, such a first stage badge after 20 points, a second stage badge after 100 points, a third stage badge after 500 points, etc. The time scale 414 is slighter longer for simple badges 404, because a user 100 does not receive a badge for a single action. Like a point system, simple badges 404 are typically visible only to the individually user (434). Unlike a simple point system, where a user sees feedback for actions immediately, a badge requires a sequence of actions 472. The metric 420 for a simple badge 404 is based on total accumulative interaction, just like a point system 402. Despite requiring a greater number of user actions to receive a simple badge 404, a simple badge has many of the same drawbacks as a simple point system 402: it is still relatively easy to game 454 the system with irrelevant postings, and there is no intrinsic value (460). Simple badges 404 are slightly more sustainable 466 than a simple point system, particularly with tiered badges where each tier requires progressively more involvement with the community.

Leader boards 406 take metrics, and make the data available to groups of people within the community. on the time scale 414, a leader board 406 is in an intermediate reinforcement technique in the continuum 430. In particular, a user is now competing against others in the community, rather than just reaching a target like simple badges 404. In some implementations, a leader board is public (436) to everyone within the online community 130; in other implementations, a leader board is public (436) to a certain subset of the community 130 based on various criteria. For example, there may be a leader board for each general topic area, and the leader board for a topic area may limit visibility to those who have been involved with that topic area. In some implementations, leader boards are designated based on other demographic criteria, such as geographic location, or length of time involved with the site. For example, there could be a leader board 406 for users from the San Francisco bay area who have been involved with the online community 130 for less than 6 months. Again, such a leader board might limit its availability to users in the same designated group (e.g., users in New York City would have their own leader board). Sometimes, by limiting a leader board 406 to a relevant cohort of users, it increases each users interest and engagement with the online community 130.

In some implementations, a leader board 406 is based on frequency 448 rather than total accumulation. For example, a leader board could display the most active users for the current week. One advantage of a frequency approach is that it gives newer users an opportunity to “compete” with users who have been active for a much longer period of time. Even a user with thousands of posts will start at zero for the upcoming week (or month, etc.), and thus all users are starting at the same starting line. Some implementations provide both types of leader boards (cumulative and frequency based), and may provide them together on a single board, or have a toggle between two or more leader board views.

Leader boards 406 can still be gamed (422), if they are based on metrics that use unverified postings. However, online communities are almost always moderated (i.e., real people review postings to make sure they are meaningful, non-objectionable, etc.). If a user managed to get onto a leader board 406 through bogus or duplicate postings, it is likely that it would not last for long. Furthermore, a moderator could limit the access privileges of a user who is not using an online community 130 appropriately, thus preventing a user from repeating the gaming behavior. Although there is no guarantee that a user on a leader board 406 has contributed useful comments, questions, or answers to the community 130, public recognition can have greater intrinsic value and be more sustainable than simple badges 404. Also, based on that recognition, some users are prompted to be more active in the community, and continue to make more useful contributions.

The higher level forms of feedback identify and promote more valuable contributions from users. Metabadges 408 utilize metrics that quantify other people's evaluations of each user contributions. For example, a user's postings may receive kudos from other users, a consensus of users may designate a posting as an accepted solution, users may nominate a posting for a knowledge base article, or a user may actually contribute a knowledge base article based on users' agreement that the individual user is an expert in a certain topic area. Because metabadges 408 are based on other users' opinions, they are much harder to game 456, have more social value 462, and are more sustainable 468. Metabadges can be based on any previous achievement 450 of a user, and are based on many interactions 442. Some metabadges are based on a set of thematically related actions, which are typically relatively rare and unique. For example, for an online community 130 related to artistic work, the community might award a “critics trophy” for a user with 50 kudos plus 20 ratings plus 10 reviews plus 10 comments; an “art director medal” could be awarded to a user with 10 images that have received kudos plus 5 videos with kudos; or a “publisher medal” could be awarded to a user for being the top poster on a leader board for five consecutive weeks. Metabadges 408 are typically public 436 within the online community 130, but may be limited to a certain subset of the sets as described above with respect to leader boards 406. On the time scale 414 continuum 430, metabadges require a much longer period of time.

Ranks and reputation 410 are similar to metabadges, but are typically for a broader set of unrelated actions (442). For example, an online community could be configures to have a “valued contributor” rank for users 100 with 50 posts plus 25 kudos+10 accepted solutions; a “trusted contributor” rank for users 100 with 80 posts plus 50 kudosplus 30 accepted solutions plus registered with the community for more than a year; and a “senior producer” rank for users 100 with 50 comments plus 30 kudos plus 100 tags plus 1 publisher medal plus registered with the online community for more than 2 years. Of course each online community can configure as many ranks as appropriate and based on appropriate criteria.

Ranks typically convey certain privileges the users who achieve those ranks. For example, a senior producer may be entitled to have her own blog within the community, or have a designated forum conducted by individual. In some implementations, a rank is public only within the community, but other implementations publicize a person's rank beyond the community (438).

Some implementations provide feedback in the form of a portable reputation 412. A portable reputation basically takes rank or reputation 410 within the community 130, and exports that reputation to other communities, social media, etc. Achieving a portable reputation takes a very long time 432 (years), but it is based almost entirely on reciprocity actions 444 (i.e., making contributions to others who have recognized those contributions). Because of the reciprocity metrics, earning a portable reputation 412 is very difficult to game 458, and has long term intrinsic value 464. Moreover, a person achieves that level because of the intrinsic desire to contribute to the community 130, and thus it is long-term sustainable 470.

To make a reputation portable beyond the community (438), the reputation module 336 has an interface to export the rank/reputation to other online communities or social media. Furthermore, the reputation module 336 can verify a reputation. For example, another designated online social media site may enter into a reciprocity agreement with the online community 130. When the reputation module receives a verification request from the social media site, the module 336 can confirm the rank for the user (e.g., using the user's email address).

FIGS. 5A and 5B are a functional block diagram of processes 500 implemented on one or more website servers 300 hosting an online social community 130. The processes 500 provide user feedback, which results in greater user participation (both number of participants and extent of participation). Although the blocks in the diagram are listed in a specific order, they do not necessarily occur in order or in a similar time frame. For example, a first user may be receiving first level feedback, a second user receiving second level feedback, and a third user receiving third level feedback. The first user may not receive second or third level feedback for a long time (e.g., months or years), and the second user may not receive third level feedback for a long time (e.g., many months, possibly years).

The process 500 provides (502) an online community for customers and prospective customers of a business entity. In some implementations, the process 500 is also applied to non-business entities, as long as the entity has specific organizational objectives, and has an online community in which user participation helps accomplish those objectives. The process is performed (504) at one or more server computers, each having one or more processors and memory. The memory stores one or more programs that execute to perform the process 500.

The online community provides (506) visual feedback to each user, using a user interface. In some implementations, there are user preferences 346 that determine the extent of the feedback or how it is displayed (e.g., a user may turn off the feedback). The visual feedback quantifies (508) each user's interaction with the online community according to one or more first level metrics. First level metrics compute direct interaction with the community, and accumulate over time. In some implementations, the one or more first level metrics includes (510) a metric that quantifies the number of postings to the online community by each user. Some implementations further subdivide the count of postings into different types, such as questions, comments, and answers to other users' questions. In some implementations, the data for one or more first level metrics is provided in a leader board.

In some implementations, the user interface for the online community displays only first level metrics for new users of the online community. That is, second and third level metrics (described below) are not displayed for the new users. For new users, the higher level feedback mechanisms are beyond reach, and thus their display could dissuade some new users from participating. Different implementations identify new users in various ways. In some implementations, new users are users who have been registered with the online community for less than a predefined period of time (e.g., 3 months). In some implementations, new users are users whose cumulative involvement with the community is less than a first predefined involvement threshold. These implementations recognize that a user who is not very involved with the community is still a new user, even if registered with the community for a substantial period of time. In other implementations, new users are users whose involvement with the community during a preceding predefined span of time is less than a second predefined involvement threshold. Here, rather than looking at total cumulative involvement, the computer system looks only at a certain recent period of time (e.g., the past month).

A notification module 334 sends (512) an electronic message to a user when the user's interaction with then online community falls below a predefined threshold rate. For example, a new registered user may spend little or no time interacting with the community during a week. In response, the notification module can alert the user to interesting information, events, new postings, or new people available through the community. The focus of the notification is information related to the known interests of each user. For example, if a user has indicated an interest in plasma television sets, the notification module could alert the user that there is an active discussion board with new postings on that topic. Generally, the electronic messages sent by the notification module are sent (514) over a communication channel distinct from the online community. For example, some implementations support sending (516) email messages and/or SMS text messages.

A second level feedback module 330 calculates (518) several second level metrics. Each second level metric quantifies (520) other users' evaluations of postings to the online community by a first user. Unlike a first level metric, a second level metric incorporates other people's assessment of what the first user has posted, and thus a second level metric more accurately measures a person's contribution to the community. For example, in some implementations, the plurality of second level metrics includes one or more metrics that measure the number of kudos received for postings by each user. In another example, some implementations include a second level metric that measures the number of postings by each user that are nominated for inclusion in a knowledge base. The second level metrics can also be computed for specific topic categories.

The second level feedback module provides (526) visual feedback of the second level metrics to each user in the user interface for the online community. In some implementations, user preferences 346 control how the data is displayed. In some implementations, the visual feedback of the second level metrics includes (528) one or more leader boards. A leader board identifies the top contributors according to a specific metric, and in some implementations, provides data for two or more metrics. Some leader boards include both first and second level metrics. In some implementations, a leader board is configurable to display desired metrics, or to toggle between various metrics. In some implementations, the information on the leader board is filtered (530) so that the user interface displays information for each respective user based on a group of other users sharing a set of demographic characteristics with the respective user. For example, the demographic characteristics for filtering could include gender, age, geographic location, length of time as a registered user, or designated topic areas.

In some implementations, when the user interface displays one or more second level feedback metrics, the visual feedback for first level metrics is diminished. Once a user has reached a higher level of involvement, there is less need for the first level feedback, so the first level feedback can be diminished or eliminated. For example, the first level feedback could be displayed in a smaller portion of the screen, or a less conspicuous portion of the screen. In some implementations, the first level feedback is not directly displayed, but can be brought up using a user interface control (e.g., a button). In this way, the user can see the first level feedback if desired, but the first level feedback is not constantly displayed. Some implementations apply the same or similar display techniques to the interplay between second and third level metrics (e.g., not displaying third level metrics until a user has progressed to the appropriate stage and diminishing the display of second level metrics when third level metrics are displayed).

A third level feedback module 332 awards (532) a designated achievement badge to users whose first and second metrics exceed a predefined set of threshold values. The metrics selected as criteria for an achievement badge (e.g., metabadges 408) and the corresponding threshold values are configurable for each online community. Examples of metabadges 408 were described above with respect to FIG. 4. As illustrated in the examples in FIG. 4, one of the metrics is the length of time that a user has been registered with the community. Generally, achievement badges 408 are displayed (534) in the user interface for the online community, providing public recognition of a user's contribution to the community.

As a result of the three levels of feedback, more users become engaged in the community, and remain engaged in the community. That is, the feedback mechanisms promote (536) a high level of user participation in the online community. As a direct result of user participation in the online community, people who would otherwise require technical support (phone support 150 or online technical support 124) are frequently able to get answers to their questions from the online community 130. Therefore, the three levels of feedback, by increasing user participation in the community, contributes (536) to a low cost of technical support provided by the business entity.

Some implementations measure the high level of user participation by comparing an online community with and without the three levels of feedback. In particular, a high level of user participation in the online community is computed 538 in some implementations by having a higher level of user participation that an alternative online community that does not compute first and second level metrics, provide visual feedback of the first and second level metrics, and award achievement badges based on first and second level metrics exceeding a predefined set of threshold values.

In some implementations, the high level of user participation in the online community further results in (540) better search engine placement for a website corresponding to the business entity. Because data from the online community is crawled and indexed by search engines 140, search engines are more likely to correlate relevant query search terms with the online community, thus leading new users to the business website 122, and thus to the business entity 120. Furthermore, the online community typically includes lots of valuable information that new users are seeking, making it more likely that a user will do business with the business entity.

Some implementations include a reputation module 336, which enables a person who has attained various badges or ranks to carry that reputation over to other online media. For example, the reputation module 336 can communicate (542) achievement badges with online social media other than the online community and verify (542) the authenticity of those badges, thereby making a user's reputation within the online community portable to the other online social media.

The foregoing description, for purpose of explanation, has been described with reference to specific implementations. However, the illustrative discussions above are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in view of the above teachings. The implementations were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical applications, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various implementations with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A computer server system providing an online community for customers of a business entity, comprising: one or more processors; memory; and one or more programs stored in the memory, the one or more programs including: a first level feedback module configured to provide visual feedback to each user in a user interface for the online community, the visual feedback quantifying the respective user's interaction with the online community according to one or more first level metrics; a notification module configured to send an electronic message to a respective user when the user's interaction with the online community is below a predefined threshold rate, the electronic message sent over a communication channel distinct from the online community; a second level feedback module configured to calculate a plurality of second level metrics, wherein each second level metric quantifies other users' evaluations of postings to the online community by a first user, and wherein the second level feedback module is configured to provide visual feedback of the second level metrics to the first user in the user interface for the online community; and a third level feedback module configured to award a designated achievement badge to users whose first and second level metrics exceed a predefined set of threshold values, and to display the achievement badge in the user interface for the online community; wherein the three feedback modules and notification module promote a high level of user participation in the online community and thereby contribute to a low cost of technical support provided by the business entity.
 2. The computer server system of claim 1, wherein the one or more first level metrics includes a metric that quantifies the number of postings to the online community by each user.
 3. The computer server system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of second level metrics includes a metric that measures the number of kudos received for postings by each user.
 4. The computer server system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of second level metrics includes a metric that measures the number of postings by each user that are nominated for inclusion in a knowledge base.
 5. The computer server system of claim 1, wherein the visual feedback of the second level metrics includes a leader board.
 6. The computer server system of claim 5, wherein information on the leader board is filtered so that the user interface displays information for each respective user based on a group of other users sharing a set of demographic characteristics with the respective user.
 7. The computer server system of claim 1, wherein a high level of user participation in the online community comprises having a higher level of user participation that an alternative online community that does not include the first, second, and third level feedback modules.
 8. The computer server system of claim 1, wherein the notification module is configured to send electronic messages as electronic mail or SMS text messages.
 9. The computer server system of claim 1, further comprising a reputation module configured to communicate achievement badges with online social media other than the online community and verify the authenticity of those badges, thereby making a user's reputation within the online community portable to the other online social media.
 10. The computer server system of claim 1, wherein the high level of user participation in the online community further results in better search engine placement for a website corresponding to the business entity.
 11. The computer server system of claim 1, wherein the user interface for the online community displays only first level metrics for new users of the online community.
 12. The computer server system of claim 11, wherein new users are users who have been registered with the online community for less than a predefined period of time.
 13. The computer server system of claim 11, wherein new users are users whose cumulative involvement with the community is less than a first predefined involvement threshold.
 14. The computer server system of claim 11, where new users are users whose involvement with the community during a preceding predefined span of time is less than a second predefined involvement threshold.
 15. The computer server system of claim 1, wherein when the user interface displays one or more second level feedback metrics, the visual feedback for first level metrics is diminished.
 16. A computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs configured for execution by a computer, the one or more programs comprising instructions for: a first level feedback module configured to provide visual feedback to each user in a user interface for the online community, the visual feedback quantifying the respective user's interaction with the online community according to one or more first level metrics; a notification module configured to send an electronic message to a respective user when the user's interaction with the online community is below a predefined threshold rate, the electronic message sent over a communication channel distinct from the online community; a second level feedback module configured to calculate a plurality of second level metrics, wherein each second level metric quantifies other users' evaluations of postings to the online community by a first user, and wherein the second level feedback module is configured to provide visual feedback of the second level metrics to the first user in the user interface for the online community; and a third level feedback module configured to award a designated achievement badge to users whose first and second level metrics exceed a predefined set of threshold values, and to display the achievement badge in the user interface for the online community; wherein the three feedback modules and notification module promote a high level of user participation in the online community and thereby contribute to a low cost of technical support provided by the business entity.
 17. A method of providing an online community for customers of a business entity, performed at a server having one or more processors and memory, the method comprising: providing visual feedback to each user in a user interface for the online community, the visual feedback quantifying the respective user's interaction with the online community according to one or more first level metrics; sending an electronic message to a respective user when the user's interaction with the online community is below a predefined threshold rate, the electronic message sent over a communication channel distinct from the online community; calculating a plurality of second level metrics, wherein each second level metric quantifies other users' evaluations of postings to the online community by a first user, and providing visual feedback of the second level metrics to the first user in the user interface for the online community; and awarding a designated achievement badge to users whose first and second level metrics exceed a predefined set of threshold values, and displaying the achievement badge in the user interface for the online community; thereby promoting a high level of user participation in the online community and contributing to a low cost of technical support provided by the business entity. 